Written Interview
Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing? What is a day in the life like for you?
Talking about myself is so cringe to me lol! I can talk about my debut all day long but when it comes to talking about myself, I draw a blank.
Let’s see. I’m an eighties baby and a native New Yorker. I can’t go a day can’t go by without listening to music. So it’s safe to say that I’m a music lover. I’m the most unserious person and I’m always laughing at something, most times I’m laughing at the most inappropriate moments. I also enjoy checking out art galleries and visiting museums in NY and I don’t get to do this as often as I would like. I’m an introvert and seem to be more of an extrovert online. I tend to be on the quiet side but when I’m comfortable, I’m really silly and outgoing with those I’m close with.
A day in my life is pretty hectic. I wake up early most mornings, head to the gym, then off to work and I also do volunteer work. I assist in taking care of my parents who each live in two different states. I usually cook, read, and write during the evenings. Unwinding from the day and reading a good book is one of my ideas for relaxing. On the weekends, I catch up with friends and family.
What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
So, I’m currently writing my first novel, When The Clouds Dance, and what inspired the idea is I wanted to write a story that focused on emotional depth and showcases the character’s mental health struggles and personal growth individually and collectively. Even though I read closed-door romances that include different ethnicities, I noticed that there aren’t a lot of closed-door black romance books.
So you know the expression, write what you want to read so this was another factor. My mother also inspired me to write this novel and that was another motivating factor to start writing my novel.
So I started writing years ago as a kid. I would be in my room just chilling, listening to my Walkman, (yeah, I’m aging myself lol ) and I would sit at my desk and get lost in creating short stories and use it as a source for escapism.
How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?
Yes! My main character, Micah was meticulously planned. The novel is mainly from his POV. He is an introvert who has strong values and beliefs. He is a straight shooter, no-nonsense, and a gentleman. So, I mapped his personality from the way he talks down to his style of dressing. Also, my characters are thirty years and older and I wanted to include mature and older characters in my story.
His love interest, Zeina, was also planned down to the tea. And over time, she became even more defined. I wanted to create a tall, quirky, and awkward FMC. These were some traits that I didn’t come across when reading some FMC’s so I wanted to incorporate these traits into my story.
What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first-time readers or people looking for something new?
Closed-door romances, mysteries, and thrillers. I haven’t read any mysteries or thrillers in a while and have a couple on my TBR that I haven’t read yet.
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
Writer’s block! I hate it! Lol Some days, I’m on a roll and have all these amazing ideas and then some days, I’m like an empty well and have absolutely nothing.
And of course, it’s usually when I’m at work when I come up with some phases and quotes and I sneak away and type them on my phone or send myself voice notes.
When I do experience writer’s block, I listen to my Spotify playlist that is dedicated to my story and go for a nature walk. Sometimes stepping back and reading helps.
What is your process for completing a novel from outline to final product?
Honestly, I’m still figuring that lol …. Real talk!
I’m at the end of the middle stage of writing and coming close to writing the end of the story. I know how I want the story to end and the challenging part for me is trying to decide which special scenes to include. I may just include all of them and will wait until the round of edits to determine whether to include them all or not.
Having an outline helps and I revisited it so many times and even revised it a few times.
What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
Haha!! Ok, so … I’m a clown lol and I wrote one scene a couple of days ago that I personally thought was hilarious. I’m going to send it to my brothers to get their opinion on it and ask if it sounds like the character was being mean since that is not what I was trying to convey. Once I re-read it, I thought to myself and said some may think this character may come across as being mean. So once I get their opinion, I will decide whether I’ll include that scene or not.
What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
Marketing! Ugh!!! I just want to focus on writing but I know I need to build up anticipation and start building an audience before publishing. So coming up with creative posts on my socials can be draining sometimes.
What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
Having readers say that they see themselves in my characters and that they can relate. I also want readers to walk away with comfort and hope. I also would not mind them swoony over my main character, Micah. I may be biased but I think that is book husband material. He already has admirers lol.
I’m keeping my expectations low and this novel is a labor of love. I just want to have his story out in the world.
Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
My writing journey is a rollercoaster of emotions. Writing has helped me in some of my darkest moments and it’s become very therapeutic. I escape via my characters and they are constantly on my mind.
I’ve actually considered writing a novella that is loosely inspired by real-life events and I think I can pull it off since I feel many would be able to identify with it.
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About
Zhara Gray is an upcoming indie author who was born and raised in New York City and currently resides in New Jersey. Her love for reading and writing started at an early age and it became a creative outlet that provided a escape while growing up in a concrete jungle.
Zhara’s upcoming debut novel, “When the Clouds Dance”, is a cozy, sweet, closed door contemporary romance that explores themes on personal growth, trauma and mental health. This story focuses on character depth, unconditional love and developing an unbreakable bond between the main characters. Zhara would like readers to be able to resonate deeply and to find comfort and joy while reading.
While Zhara is not at her laptop writing, you can find her doing volunteer work, hanging out in art galleries in New York and spending time with family and friends.
If you want to stay in the know about “When The Clouds Dance”, follow Zhara’s social media accounts for updates!
Social Media
Instagram: @zharagrayauthor
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